If a new report is to be believed, Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron is the latest Star Wars movie to run up against creative differences between a filmmaker and Lucasfilm executives.
Puck has published a new essay claiming Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy should be replaced as the head of Star Wars, and the outlet claims it's spoken to sources inside Lucasfilm who feel the same. According to the piece, it's this behind-the-scenes tension that led to Rogue Squadron's recent production delay. Allegedly, Jenkins clashed creatively with executives under Kennedy's employ, including senior vice president Michelle Rejwan. If true, then Rogue Squadron is the latest Star Wars film since Disney's purchase of the media franchise that has undergone an upset due to disagreements between the creatives and the executives.
As the piece details, this new issue fits into an ongoing narrative that began in 2012 when The Walt Disney Company bought Lucasfilm. It should be noted, however, that neither Disney nor Jenkins have commented on the delay. Big-budget films often undergo behind-the-scenes setbacks, and even the incredibly successful Marvel Studios has had some high-profile problems with creative differences and filmmaker changes. The difference, however, is that the MCU films have continued to wow audiences and critics while performing well at the box office. Lucasfilm's output post-Disney hasn't always done the same.
Rogue One, Solo, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker have all had their share of production issues, and it's these ongoing problems that have led many to place the blame on Kennedy and her team, despite the producer's long track record of success in Hollywood and her history with Lucasfilm and Star Wars. But there's also the fact that the television side of the franchise has blossomed since Disney and Kennedy took over, turning out consistent animated and now live-action hits. On the film front, however, numerous attempts to build out new franchises have fallen apart, including a trilogy from Last Jedi director Rian Johnson and a separate one from Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and Dan Weiss.
Rogue Squadron was announced last December, with Wonder Woman director Jenkins boarding as the first female director of Star Wars film. Originally scheduled to arrive in December 2023, the recent production delay has made it uncertain whether the movie will hit its target. Outside of the film, the only other feature in the works is Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige's Star Wars film, which is rumored to be directed by Chloé Zhao. For now, however, that project is merely in the planning stages, making the future of Star Wars film an open question.
Source: Puck